Kimi Antonelli was tagged. © ANSA / ANNA SZILAGYI

Antonelli devastated: "Hard to accept"

Kimi Antonelli, exhausted, stepped in front of the microphones after his Formula 1 drama at Silverstone. He scratched his chin several times in frustration.

July 06, 2026

From: dpa/dl

Damage to his Mercedes forced the Italian teenager to retire for the second time in the last three races, causing his championship lead to dwindle in England. Even from the cockpit, Antonelli desperately radioed an SOS during a chaotic final phase – but he couldn't get his damaged Silver Arrow back on track.

“It hurts,” admitted the crestfallen 19-year-old after two late, unplanned pit stops and a five-second penalty for illegally leaving the track. “This is really hard to accept.”

"The race could have ended epically."

Antonelli once again lost his pole position at the start. After a delayed tire change, however, he was on the verge of overtaking winner Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari. "The race could have ended epically," said Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff after his young star's disappointing result. "According to our calculations, he could have caught Charles with fresher tires six laps from the end."

Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes broke down. © APA/afp / PETER POWELL

Instead, his chase of the Ferrari leader turned into a drama – or as the Daily Mail put it: "Kimi Antonelli experiences a disastrous final ten laps." The teenager noticed something had broken on his car. He suspected the suspension had snapped when he hit the kerbs. "The car was undrivable," reported Antonelli, who now holds only a 25-point lead over his teammate George Russell in the World Championship standings. The Englishman finished second despite a slow puncture.

Apparently, a carbon fiber part on the front wheel cover had broken off and become wedged. The initial emergency stop, during which the front end was replaced, didn't solve the problem, forcing Antonelli to make a second, unexpected pit stop. His situation was becoming increasingly hopeless, but he was determined to continue in order to somehow salvage some points. In the end, Antonelli finished 15th and scored no points.

Ferrari celebrates its 250th Grand Prix victory

“I know the potential is there,” he stated. After all, he's already achieved five consecutive victories this season. And he also won the sprint in England. “I have to get everything out of what I can control,” Antonelli emphasized.

Charles Leclerc seemed relieved. © APA/afp / BEN STANSALL

The beneficiary this time was Leclerc, who won a race for the first time since October 2024 and simultaneously secured Ferrari's 250th Grand Prix victory in the Scuderia's history. The Italians had also won their first Formula 1 race at Silverstone 75 years earlier.

Leclerc's teammate Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, finished third in front of his home fans. And as third in the World Championship standings, he is only 32 points behind Antonelli going into the next races in Belgium and Hungary on July 19th and 26th. "Ferrari can compete for the World Championship again," commented former Formula 1 driver and Sky expert Ralf Schumacher.